CPI(M) office vandalised in Canning, West Bengal; BJP denies involvement
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
A Communist Party of India (Marxist) party office was vandalised on Saturday, 24 October 2026, in the Taldi area of Canning, South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal, according to a party leader. Workers who arrived at the office found it extensively damaged, with furniture broken and equipment removed.
Scale of the Damage
Party workers discovered the office ransacked upon arrival on Saturday morning. According to the CPI(M), television sets, cupboards, switchboards, tables and chairs had been vandalised and destroyed. Four ceiling fans were reportedly removed from the premises. The party flag was torn to pieces, the flag stand broken and thrown outside. The incident has caused considerable unrest in the Taldi locality.
What the CPI(M) Alleged
CPI(M) leaders alleged that miscreants affiliated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) were behind the attack. CPI(M) leader and area committee member Priyabrata Ghosh stated, 'RSS boys were roaming around saying that they would break our party office. If the police investigate, all the correct information will be recovered.' The party claimed prior threats of attack had been issued over the preceding few days.
BJP Refutes the Charge
BJP leader Sanjay Naik categorically denied any involvement. 'CPI(M) has broken its own party office. It is trying to come into the limelight by unnecessarily blaming others. CPI(M) is creating unrest by joining hands with Trinamool Congress and Cockroach Janta Party. It is trying to gain political advantage, which is not possible as people have rejected it 15 years ago,' Naik said. The RSS also denied the allegations.
A Pattern of Alleged Attacks
This incident is not isolated. In the days preceding the Canning vandalism, there had been similar allegations of attacks on multiple CPI(M) offices across West Bengal. Notably, Left Front book stalls were also reportedly targeted during the Durga Puja festivities. Critics argue the pattern points to a broader effort to suppress opposition party infrastructure in the state, though this remains contested and under investigation.
Police Response
A complaint has been registered at the Canning police station, and an investigation is reportedly under way. The outcome of the probe is expected to be central to resolving the competing claims made by the CPI(M) and the BJP about who was responsible for the attack.